Transfer fork for looms



Jag. 7, 1958 J. J. ADDIS Q 2,818,886

TRANSFER FORK FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 30, 1954 o n11will/"Will!!!" INVENT OR 2 JOHN J. A0015.

ATTORNEYS.

TRANSFER FORK FOR LOOMS John J. Addis, Easley, S. C.

Application December 30, 1954, Serial No. 478,752

4 Claims. (Cl. 139244) This invention relates to filling replenishing looms of the type having a hopper or magazine for carrying a reserve supply of bobbins or quills which are automatically transferred, one at a time, as needed, into the shuttle and, more especially, to an improved cushioned transfer fork for engaging and imparting movement to the free end of the stem of a bobbin during the transfer of the bobbin from the hopper or magazine into a shuttle.

Various types of transfer forks are currently in use, some of which are in the form of a laterally extending bar fixed to the conventional transfer arm and on whose free outer end a downwardly projecting metal head is provided, and others of which may have a resilient cushion thereon in lieu of the metal head. In either instance, the head of the transfer fork engages the stem of a bobbin in the course of a transfer operation, adjacent the free end of the stem, and forces the same downwardly from the hopper or magazine into a shuttle.

However, the types of transfer forks above described have been unsatisfactory because it quite often happens that only partially filled bobbins or quills are placed in the usual hopper or magazine and the yarn end extends from the bobbin to a suitable anchoring means which is a part of the hopper or magazine with the result that, during the transfer of a partially filled quill or bobbin from the hopper or magazine into a shuttle, the yarn end is not engaged by the head of the transfer fork and, consequently, extends upwardly and outwardly at an angle as the corresponding partially filled bobbin is inserted in the shuttle. This often causes the yarn to break because it is not initially positioned in alinement with the usual shuttle eye.

Another difficulty experienced when using transfer forks of the character described is that there has been nothing provided heretofore to prevent the small end of the stem of the exhausted bobbin from becoming lodged between the exposed portion of the stem of a partially filled bobbin as the head of the exhausted bobbin has been forced out of the shuttle by the head of the partially filled bobbin engaging the same as it is transferred into the shuttle. This has often resulted in broken or damaged bobbins and damaged shuttles and has also often caused the shuttle to be thrown out of the shuttle box in an angular path relative to the lay to subsequently break many of the warp yarns.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved transfer fork for looms which functions in an efficient manner to overcome the above defects.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved transfer fork of the type having a stem or bar fixed at one end to the transfer arm and having a downturned metal head on its free outer end with a soft cushion, preferably formed from either sponge rubber or foam rubber, fixed thereto immediately adjacent the downturned head of the transfer fork. The cushion normally has a substantially greater length than that of the head of the transfer fork so that it normally extends downwardatent O ice 1y substantially beyond the lower end of the head. The cushion member is of a width substantially the same as that of the width of the slot in the shuttle so the front and rear surfaces of the cushion engage the front and rear walls forming the slot in the shuttle and the front and rear portions of the cushion project downwardly past opposite sides of the stem of the bobbin in the course of each transfer operation to not only maintain the yarn end in alinement with the shuttle eye in the course of the transfer operation, but to also fill the shuttle at opposite sides of the stem of the partially filled bobbin as it is transferred and to thereby prevent the stem of the ex hausted bobbin from being lodged between the exposed portion of the stem of the partially filled bobbin and either of the walls of the shuttle.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a transfer fork assembly of the character described wherein the head thereof and the portion thereof which supports the cushion member are formed separate from the bar of the transfer fork and are mounted for longitudinal adjustment on said bar to thereby accommodate bobbins of varying lengths.

Some of the Obj6CiS ot' the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of a hopper or magazine of a loom showing one end of a lay with a shuttle therein positioned for receiving a bobbin from the magazine or hopper in a transfer operation;

Figure 2 is a plan view partially in section of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 33 in Figure 1, but showing the outer end of the improved transfer fork assembly in lowered position upon the completion of a transfer operation and showing one end of the expelled bobbin as it is leaving the shuttle;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 in Figure 3, on a reduced scale;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the portion of the transfer fork assembly shown in Figure 4, on a reduced scale, omitting the cushion member, shuttle and bobbins.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved transfer fork assembly is shown in association with a rotary hopper or magazine 16 which is a part of a conventional filling replenishing mechanism, such as is used on a Draper loom. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention may be used in association with a filling replenishing mechanism of the type used on Crompton & Knowles looms with equal facility.

The loom includes a reciprocating lay 11 having an opening 12 at its transfer end which coincides substan tially with an opening 13 in the bottom 14 of a shuttle box broadly designated at 15, disposed at the filling replenishing end of the lay 11. The shuttle box 15 also includes a box front 16 and a box back or binder 17 between which a shuttle 20 is shown, the shuttle 20 being operated by a picker stick 21 (Figure 2). The shuttle 20 is of the usual type having a bobbin-receiving slot therein defined by opposed or front and rear sidewalls 22, 23. The shuttle 26) also has a shuttle eye generally designated at 24.

The rotary hopper 10 of the filling replenishing mecha nism holds a reserve supply of filling carriers, bobbins or quills, which are broadly designated at 25 and each of which comprises a head 26 and an elongated stem 27 The hopper 10 is rotated in the usual step by step manner to successively present the bobbins or quills therein, such as bobbin 25, to the transfer position directly above 3 the shuttle box Each of the bobbins has yarn Y wound thereon and some of the bobbins 25 may be partially filled with yarn as the bobbin 25 is shown in Figure 3. An expelled or exhausted quill or bobbin is shown below the quill 25 in Figure 3 and is indicated at 25".

A conventional transfer arm is pivoted on a fixed stud, as in 31, in the hopper stand 10a and is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction in Figure. 1 by a coiled spring 32. The transfer arm 30 is provided with a head 33 engageable with the head of the bobbin or quill 25. The transfer arm is operable by a dog 34 which is pivoted thereto at 35 and movableinto the path of a hunter 36 on the lay 11 by the usual means, not disclosed herein. The parts heretofore described are the usual parts of a loom and constitute nopart of the present invention, and it is with such or similar partsthat the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated. The improved transfer fork assembly eomprises a laterally extending bar or rod 40 havingits inner end secured to the head 33 of the transfer arm 3% and on whose outer end a transfer fork head assembly broadly designated at 41, is adjustably mounted in a manner to be presently described. It will be observed that the transfer fork head assembly 41 comprises a substantially horizontal body 42 provided with a longitudinally extending hole or bore 43 in its inner end for receiving the outer end of the bar 40 and which body 4-2 is adjustably secured to the bar 40, as by set screws 44. The body 42 has an enlarged portion 45 adjacent its outer end thereon provided with a vertically extending hole or bore 46 therein which is preferably, but not necessarily, rectangular. The outer end of the body 42 of the head assembly 41 has a downwardly projecting forked portion or head member 47 thereon whose lower end is recessed, as at 50, for engaging the stem of each successive bobbin during a transfer operation as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Now, heretofore, the head of the transfer fork has been formed integral with or fixed to the stem or bar thereof and would strike the bobbin to be transferred with considerable force, with the result that the filling thereon would be cut and, moreover, the continued blows on the bobbin by the metal head would cause the bobbin to splinter in a short time with the result that the splinters would catch on the filling to also cause breakage thereof. Moreover, in the course of many transfer operations, the stem of an expelled or empty bobbin, such as the bobbin 25" in Figure 3, would bounce upwardly and become lodged between the stem 27 of the new bobbin or quill 25' and either of the walls 22 or 23 of the shuttle 20, particularly in instances where the new bobbin or quill 25' is only partially filled as shown in Figure 3, thereby resulting in damage to either the quill or the shuttle or both. Also, in the instance of a partially filled bobbin being transferred into the shuttle, the usual type of head on the transfer fork would fail to engage the yarn end Y-l with the result that it would extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle from the portion of the stem of the bobbin having the yarn Y wound thereon and would not be properly alined with the eye 24 of the shuttle.

In order to overcome the above defects, I have provided an improved resilient" cushion element or member 51, which is in the form of an elongated or substantially cubically shaped block of foam rubber or sponge rubber, and which extends through the opening or hole 46 formed in the enlarged portion 45 of the body 42 of the head assembly 41. Since the block of sponge rubber or foam rubber comprising the cushion 51 is normally of relatively greater dimensions transversely thereof or in plan than the dimensions of the bore or opening 46, it is apparent that the resilient material, foam rubber or sponge rubber is under relatively great compression at the point at which it extends through the bore or opening 46 so that it is securely locked in the bore or opening 46.

. The lower end portion of the sponge rubber cushion or foam rubber cushion 51 normally extends downwardly substantially below the curved lower end50 of the head 47 of the head assembly, as shown in Figure 1, and is provided with a concave lower surface 53. It will be observed in Figure 3 that the lower portion of the cushion element 51 is disposed closely adjacent, or even engages the inner surface of, the downwardly projecting head member 47 of the head assembly 41. It will also be observed in Figures 1 and 4 that the lower portion of the cushion element .51 is normally of substantially the same width as the distance between the walls 22, 23 of the shuttle 20.

Thus, as the transfer arm 30 moves downwardly in a transfer operation from the position shown in Figure l, at substantially the time the head 33 of the transfer arm 30 engages the head 26 of the corresponding bobbin 25', the concave lower end of the cushion 51 first engages the stem 27 of the partially filled bobbin 25, after which the curved or recessed lower end 50 of the head member 47 engages the stern of the partially filled bobbin 25'. This not only cushions the impact of the head member 47 against the stem 27 of the bobbin 25 but, in so doing, the yarn end Y-l extending from the quill 25 to be transferred is then clamped against the stem 27 of the corresponding quill by the cushion element 51 to insure that it is properly alined with the shuttle eye 24 as the quill or bobbin 25 is subsequently moved downwardly into the shuttle 20 as shown in Figure 3.

Now, it will be observed in Figure 4 that, as the quill 25' is moved into the shuttle 20, the front and rear surfaces of the cushion element 51 snugly engage the inner surfaces of the walls 22, 23 of the shuttle 20 without abrading said walls and, since the central portion of the concave lower surface 53 of the cushion element 51 is caused to recede upwardly with downward movement of the cushion element 51 against the stem 27 of the partially filled bobbin 25, this causes opposed lowermost corners of the cushion element 51 to move inwardly slightly toward each other and to also become relatively extended as compared to the normal positions thereof relative to the central portion of the concave surface 53. In so doing, it will be observed in Figure 4 that the front and rear lower corners of the cushion element 51 extend downwardly beyond the stem 27 of the bobbin or quill 25 and thereby fill the shuttle to such an extent that it is impossible for the stem of the expelled bobbin 25" to become lodged between the stem 27 of the transferred partially filled bobbin 25' and either of the Walls 22 or 23 of the shuttle 20.

Also, since the cushion element 51 tends to wrap itself partially around the stem of the partially filled bobbin or quill 25', it is apparent that the cushion element 51 also assists in deflecting the stem 27 of the expelled bobbin 25 downwardly out of the shuttle 2t) and through the openings 12 and 13 in the bottom 14 of the shuttle box 15 and the lay 11, respectively. This assists in properly positioning the expelled bobbin 25" so it occupies a substantially horizontal position as it is expelled from the shuttle box 15 and will thereby readily fall into the usual quill storage can, not shown.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved filling fork assembly wherein the head thereof may be adjusted longitudinally of the supporting bar therefor to accommodate bobbins of varying length and which assembly is for particular use with partially filled bobbins and wherein the head assembly has a resilient cushion element made from sponge rubber or foam rubber frictionally secured therein which is of substantially the same width as the distance between the front and rear walls of the shuttle into which each successive bobbin or quill is transferred thereby insuring that the yarn end extending from a partially filled bobbin or quill is maintained in substantial alinement with the shuttle eye as each successive bobbin is transferred into the shuttle and also preventing the. stems of empty bobbins from becoming lodged between the exposed portions of the stems of partially filled bobbins in the course of a transfer operation. This obviates many of the causes of yarn breakage and also eliminates breakage of bobbins at the magazine and eliminates one of the most prevalent causes of damage to the shuttles of a loom. This also eliminates one of the reasons why a shuttle is, at times, deflected from its normal path across the lay of a loom. Of course, the deflection of the shuttle out of its normal path across the lay of the loom quite often results in the breakage of many of the warp yarns.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom having a filling replenishing mechanism including a hopper for containing a supply of bobbins and a transfer arm for engaging the head of each successive bobbin and transferring the same into a shuttle in a transfer operation; an improved transfer fork comprising a bar fixed to said transfer arm and being provided with a downwardly projecting head on its free end, an elongated sponge rubber cushion element fixed to said bar closely adjacent said head and normally extending downwardly substantially beyond the lower end of said head, and the width of the cushion element being substantially equal to the distance between the front and rear walls of a shuttle to thereby prevent the stem of an expelled bobbin from becoming lodged between the stern of a partially filled bobbin and either wall of the shuttle in the course of a transfer operation.

2. In a loom having a filling replenishing mechanism including a hopper for containing a supply of bobbins and a transfer arm for engaging the head of each successive bobbin and transferring the same into a shuttle in a transfer operation; an improved transfer fork assembly comprising a bar fixed to said transfer arm and provided with a downwardly projecting head on its free end, a substantially vertically extending opening in said bar adjacent said head, a cubically-shaped sponge rubber cushion element normally of substantially greater dimensions than said opening resiliently secured in said opening in said bar, said cushion element extending downwardly substantially beyond the lower end of said head, and being compressible by engagement with the stem of a bobbin in the hopper whereby it will clamp a yarn end against said stem and the head will then engage and transfer the stem from the hopper.

3. In a loom having a filling replenishing mechanism including a hopper for containing a supply of bob-bins and a transfer arm for engaging the head of each successive bobbin and transferring the same into a shuttle in a transfer operation; an improved transfer fork assembly comprising a bar fixed to said transfer arm, a head assembly comprising a body adjustably secured to the outer end of said bar, and being provided with a downwardly projecting head 011 its free end, a substantially vertically extending opening in said body adjacent said head, a sponge rubber cushion element normally of substantially greater dimensions than said opening resiliently secured in said opening in said body, said cushion element normally extending downwardly substantially beyond the lower end of said head, and the width of the cushion element being sufficient to span the distance between the front and rear walls of a shuttle as it moves downwardly against the stem of a bobbin to thereby prevent the stem of an expelled bobbin from becoming lodged between the stem of a partially filled bobbin and either wall of the shuttle in the course of a transfer operation.

4. A loom transfer fork assembly comprising a bar, a body adjustably mounted on said bar and provided With a perpendicular end portion, said body having an opening therein spaced inwardly of said end portion and extending substantially parallel to said end portion, a bobbin contacting member of resilient material having its medial portion tightly clamped in said opening in tight fitting binding engagement with the walls thereof, the lower end of said member being grooved parallel to said body to seat over the stem of a bobbin, the lower surface of the member at said groove being normally disposed below the level of the lower end of said end portion and the width of said member being substantially greater than the diameter of a bobbin contacted thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

